The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-02-08

and your sisters diamond necklace ID
gone"
Lady Hayward put down her tea.
"Vernon, this is awful" she said.
"What are we to do?" Who can IL bs-
It's absurd to talk about Taylor; she
was with me in town"
"Ah, but we can't tell exactly what
time the things were taken; she may
have got rid of them in London. 1t
was when you took her to town that
your diamond brooch went"
$50 it was" said Lady Hayward.
'.But that makes no difference. The
brooch was taken while we were away.
Besides, the thing is absurd. Taylor
is above suspicion, 1 knew the girl so
well. Why, Vernon, she went with me
all through France and Italy, when /
Joined you in Rome; we were always
together, and l used to talk to her a
great deal. She is very superior girl.
No; it would be most unjust to suspect
Taylor"
swell, there's no one else," said
Lord Hayward, deiectedly, Except
poor little Rose Mannering."
"Poor little Rose Mannering" was
the governess who took charge of their
one little girl.
"Absurdr said Lady Hayward.
And SO it was. on the face of it. They
knew Rose Mannering's family well;
she was lady, and little more than a
child.
A silence followed, during which
both looked into the fire for inspira-
ton. All the servants in the house
were born of families who had been
for generations on the estate. The
idea of suspecting any of them was
too painful. Taylor was the only ex-
ceptiOn, and she had been with Lady
Hayward two years.
81 begin to believe" said Lady Hay
ward, "that it is one of our guests"
Good heavens, Kate, what an ideal"
Can you suggest any thing else?"
mo, can't. There's some Internal
deviltry at work, but, beat my brains
how | will, / can't see where it comes
from"
Il tell you what we must do, Yer
non," said Lady Hayward, decisirely.
I'VE must be very careful, not brighten
any one, and keep our own counsel.
Ride over to the town early tomorrow
morning and telegraph to Scotland
Yard for detective to come down dis
guised TO the ball. There will be so
many people the servants won't have
time to notice him. He must stop on
as visitor till he finds out something"
THAT will dor exclaimed Lord Hay
ward.
Now go" said Lady Hayward, ring
ing the bell for Taylor; IL must dress
at once"
As he went out he met the maid in
Se doorway, and gave her a mo-
curious look tina. usual. The result
was only to give up his idea as pre-
posterous. She had very gentle
face; her soft brown hair, brushed
smoothly over her ears, gave it. an
almost Puritanical look. Lord Hay
ward had made something of friend
of her, and the girl had never presumed
in the least upon it, but had always re-
tanned her subdued, sweet manner.
Lady Hayward scrutinized her. too.
Turing the process of dressing, but she
shrank from the thoughts in her own
mind. She had grown fond of her
treasure of a maid, and felt ashamed
If herself for her quickly suppressed
uspicions.
Early next morning the telegram was
sent to Scotland yard by Lord Hay
ward, who rode over alone TO send il.
and waited for the answer. The reply
seemed to please him and he rode back
In good spirits to late breakfast. He
even faced, with moderate cheerfulness
Lady Hayward's eldest sister, who was
In frightful state about her necklace.
This lady was one of his pet aversions;
she was not pretty or clever, like his
wife, but she was more irreproachable,
more moral, more perfect, and she was
en- old maid. Probably she was the
only person in the world of whom Lady
Hayward was afraid. Miss Collette
was severe censor in all things and
kept her eyeglass well fixed on her
younger sister, who had an important
position TO fill before the world. At
present Miss COllette was very angry
because she did not know what was be-
ing done about the thefts; and she held
that she ought to have been one of the
council. But Lady Hayward was OBJ
stinate; she had found out before that
the exemplary Cecilia could not hold
her tongue.
This extreme discretion having been
observed, the Scotland Yard detective
arrived, as a visitor, and no one paid
aHy particular attention to him. He